Mumbai: BMC building three animal underpasses in Aarey Colony

The Aarey Main Road is an important east-west connectivity link road and is used by hundreds of motorists travelling between Western Express Highway in Goregaon to Morarji Nagar in Powai along with the residents of Aarey Milk Colony Road.

In all, the BMC, in coordination with the Forest Department, has planned to construct 18 such underpasses. (File Photo)

With the presence of many wild animals such as leopards, spotted deer, small Indian civet, rusty spotted cat, and palm civet in Aarey Milk Colony, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is constructing three animal underpasses to ensure their safe passage. This will be done alongside repair of the 7.2-km Dinkar Rao Desai Road, popularly known as Aarey Colony Road, with cement concrete and mastic asphalt.

The work on three animal underpasses, each 5 metres long and 3 metres wide, will be completed this monsoon. In all, the BMC, in coordination with the Forest Department, has planned to construct 18 such underpasses.

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The Aarey Main Road is an important east-west connectivity link road and is used by hundreds of motorists travelling between Western Express Highway in Goregaon to Morarji Nagar in Powai along with the residents of Aarey Milk Colony Road.

“One of the finest examples of environment-friendly development, road construction in Goregaon’s Dinkar Rao Desai Marg is presently underway. To ensure that animals living in the vicinity have safe crossing of roads, the BMC, following the suggestions from the Forest Department, is constructing independent underpasses for animals,” the BMC said in a statement.

“Also, we have ensured that not a single tree is damaged or cut due to the ongoing road repair. The work of this stretch (Aarey Market to Aarey Hospital) will be completed before monsoon and the remaining portion of road will be taken up after monsoon,” said Rajesh Yadav, Assistant Engineer, Roads and Traffic Department, P-south ward (Goregaon).

According to BMC officials, although construction of the underpasses is on, there will be some changes as the Forest department is going to submit revised designs. On Wednesday, Sanjay Gandhi National Park’s (SGNP) Assistant Conservator of Forest Jagannath Kamble visited the site along with BMC officials and members of committee that had suggested underpasses for animals.

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